Today, the need for purposeful and focused R&D in the United States has never been greater, but technology is advancing so quickly that the structures available to manage technology have not kept pace. A comprehensive examination of the technological landscape is needed to help the government take a more holistic approach to investing in and regulating technologies. The goal should be an overall technology R&D strategy that spans federal agencies and builds on existing investment schemes and regulatory structures.
Looking at the trends in technology, surprises that test existing governance and policies are likely to continue and perhaps even increase. Given such a future, the time is right to do a comprehensive examination of the technological landscape, with an eye towards the development of a 21st century R&D strategy that can efficiently and cost-effectively keep pace with the new world technology order.
The Rand Blog:
http://www.rand.org/blog/2015/02/managing-technology-in-an-unmanageable-world.html